The best actors and actresses of the year and the most successful performances were awarded at the UNITEM-2024 Awards Gala. The prize for the best dramatic performance was offered to the producers of the play “Uncle Vanea” by Anton Chekhov, directed by Dumitru Acriș, the National Theatre “Satiricus Ion Luca”, IPN reports.
Minister of Culture Sergiu Prodan congratulated all the laureates of this year’s UNITEM prize. The official said that the Theatre Union and the theatre people from all Moldova’s theatres have never questioned, but promoted the European aspirations of Moldova’s citizens.
“I’m happy to be with you here, not for the first time, knowing very well that our whole life is a theater and that we are actors. But when we come to your performances, we dive inside the philosophy of this life and you give us answers to many of our questions,” said Monica Babuc, director of the Romanian Cultural Institute “Mihai Eminescu” in Chisinau.
Deputy mayor of the capital city Angela Kutasevich said that the Chisinau City Hall is committed to promoting culture, promoting the beauty and also people because the beauty can defeat any evil. “Health, peace and inspiration to all,” the deputy mayor wished those attending.
The prize for best directing went to Dumitru Acriș for the play “Uncle Vanea” by A.P. Chekhov, “Satiricus Ion Luca Caragiale” National Theatre. The award for best female role was won by Rodica Ciobanu, for the role of Beatrice in the play “The effect of gamma rays on man-in-the-moon marigolds” by Paul Zindel, directed by Luminița Țâcu, Cahul Republican Musical-Drama Theatre “B. P. Hasdeu”. The second winner is Tatiana Lazăr who played the role of Violet Weston in “August” by Tracy Letts, directed by Alexandru Cozub, “Mihai Eminescu” National Theatre.
The award for best male role went to Alexandru Shishkin for the role of Cyrano de Bergerac in the play with the same name by Edmond Rostand, directed by Aurelia Gheorghieva, Youth Drama Theatre “S Ulitsy Roz Iurie Harmelin”. The special prize of the jury was won by the performance “1946” after “The Book of Famine” by Larisa Turea, directed by Slava Sambriș, Republican Theatre “Luceafărul”.
The prize for the best small-scale show was offered to the performance “Miss Julie” by August Strindberg, directed by Luminița Țâcu, “Mihai Eminescu” National Theatre. The prize for the best puppet theatre show was awarded to the performance “A stormy night” by Ion Luca Caragiale, directed by Mihai Tarna, Republican Puppet Theatre “Licurici”. The award for the best female supporting role was won by Irina Rusu, for the role of the Teacher’s First Wife in the play “Uncle Vanea” by Anton Chekhov, directed by Dumitru Acriș, “Satiricus Ion Luca Caragiale” National Theatre. The award for best male supporting role went to Ion Grosu for the role of Procopiu in the play “Titanic Waltz” by Tudor Mușatescu, directed by Cristian Șofron, “Satiricus Ion Luca Caragiale” National Theatre.
The award for the best puppet theatre actor was won by Nina Lefter for the role of Veta in the play “A Stormy Night” by Ion Luca Caragiale, directed by Mihai Țărnă, Republican Puppet Theatre “Licurici”. The prize for the best scenography was offered to Denis Apter for the play “Yesterday there Was a War” by Boris Vasilyev, directed by Denis Baburin, Tiraspol Drama and Comedy Theatre “N. Aronetskaya”.
The prize for the best theater costumes went to Dmitri Ahmadiev in A. S. Pushkin’s play “Mozart and Salieri”, directed by Dmitri Akhmadiev, Tiraspol Drama and Comedy Theatre “N. Aronetskaya”. The prize for the best choreography and body expression went to Dmitri Ahmadiev, the performance “Mozart and Salieri”, directed by Dmitri Akhmadiev, Tiraspol Drama and Comedy Theatre “N. Aronetskaya”.
The prize for the best musical creation went to Alexandru Dicusar for the play “A Stormy Night”, directed by Mihai Țărnă, Republican Puppet Theatre “Licurici”. The award for the best radio show was won by the performance “Amalia takes a deep breath” by Alina Nelega, artistic director Angela Titioi-Drăgan, Radio Moldova. Mihai Cerneanu won the award for the most valuable debut for the role of Tom Wingfield in the play “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams, directed by Mihai Fusu, Cahul Republican Musical-Drama Theatre “B.P. Hasdeu”.
The jury decided this year not to award the prize for the best children’s show for which two plays were nominated.
The selection jury of the UNITEM Awards Gala 2024, 23rd edition, consisted of actress Onorina Burlacu-Tănase, president of the jury, actor Constantin Haret, and Ana Ghilaș, associate professor at the Department of Theater Studies of the Academy of Music, Theatre and Fine Arts.
The selection jury, approved by the decision of the UNITEM Senate, watched performances staged in professional theaters of Moldova between April 10, 2023 and February 2, 2024. Until March 24, the final jury watched the nominated performances and decided the winners by secret ballot, on the evening of the Awards Gala.
